Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Summary

The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo—shaping the future by preserving heritage, discovering new knowledge, and sharing our resources with the world. The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is a national museum for the study and exhibition of African American history and culture. 

Overview

Help
Job canceled
Open & closing dates
10/19/2022 to 11/17/2022
Salary
$89,834 to - $116,788 per year
Pay scale & grade
IS 12
Location
Washington, DC
FEW vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent - This is not a Federal Position, but has similar requirements and benefits. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS POSITION IS OPEN TO ALL CANDIDATES ELIGIBLE TO WORK IN THE UNITED STATES.
Work schedule
Full-time - Full-Time, Permanent.
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
12 - Position is at full performance level.
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
23R-YH-307916-TRF-NMAAHC
Control number
683626800

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS POSITION IS OPEN TO ALL CANDIDATES ELIGIBLE TO WORK IN THE UNITED STATES.

Duties

Help

The Museum Curator (Caterpillar Curator of African American Innovation and Entrepreneurship) provides expertise and intellectual leadership for the museum's interpretation of African American innovation and entrepreneurship in science and technology.  

In this position, you will:

  • Initiate, develop, and conduct research projects pertaining to African American innovation and entrepreneurship in science and technology.
  • Conduct scholarly research which typically results in publications and exhibitions that make authoritative and original contribution to the field.
  • Develop interpretive materials incorporating science and technology into the museum’s permanent exhibitions. Develop at least one exhibition (temporary, digital and/or traveling) that tells a complex story of science and/or technology in America.
  • Participate in conferences, symposia, programs for professional audiences and the public to share research, collections, and projects related to science and technology.  Respond to public inquiries and media requests regarding topics relating to science and technology.  

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
  • Complete a Probationary Period
  • Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer

Conditions of Employment

COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS:

For the latest information on the COVID-19 vaccination requirements and its impact on your application, click on Smithsonian Institution’s Frequently Asked Questions

Qualifications

Basic Qualification:  Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. 

In addition to the basic qualification above and the basic education requirements:

You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the grade 11 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system.  For this position, Specialized Experience is defined as demonstrated experience conducting scholarly research and producing publications related to innovation and entrepreneurship in science and technology; participating in public service efforts; developing exhibitions of science and technology; responding to public inquiries. 

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. For instructions on where to fax these documents, see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Qualification requirements must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date.

Education

  1. Degree: museum work; or in an applicable subject-matter field.

    or

  2. Combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major, as shown in 1 above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

    or

  3. Four years of experience that provided knowledge comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of the 4-year course of study as shown in 1 above.

Additional information

This position is not included in the bargaining unit.

Current or Former Political Appointees: Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Office of Human Resources. Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:

  • Position title;
  • Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
  • Agency; and,
  • Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position.  However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period.

Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application will be evaluated first for the basic qualifications described above. The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:

  1. Skill in conducting research for and about African American innovation and entrepreneurship in science and technology.
  2. Ability to communicate in writing.
  3. Ability to organize, develop, maintain and refine exhibitions in science and/or technology.
  4. Ability to communicate orally.

Important Note:

Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume should provide detailed information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.